Police disclose intricate details of attack on Aires

NT NETWORK
Posted on 2008-10-25
PANAJI- The superintendent of police, Mr Bosco George, revealed that five individuals are in police custody in connection with the attack on the social activist and counsel for the mother of the German minor girl, Mr Aires Rodrigues and Mr Prajal Sakhardande, a historian, in a city restaurant on the night of October 13.
Speaking to the media, Mr George, informed that Sandeep Vaigankar was the mastermind behind the attack, and was assisted by another four, who were hired by Zenito Barretto, who in turn, was contacted by a person, yet to be arrested.
The superintendent of police informed that altogether, 11 persons were taken into custody and out of these five have confessed to their involvement in the attack and added they further furnished two new names, that of Asif Badighar (20), and Aslam Badighar (22), both from Chimbel. The other three being Sandeep Vaigankar from Tonca, Taleigao, Zenito Barretto, from St Cruz, and Shabbir Gujarati from Chimbel.
He further disclosed that Zenito Barretto, collected the other four from St Cruz, in a blue Maruti 800 car, bearing registration number GA-01-S-6105, and dropped them near a hotel in the city.
“Before the attack, Vaigankar took Shabbir to a bar and restaurant, behind the General Post Office and pointed out the person to be assaulted, from the window, of the said bar,” Mr George said and added they then came back, entered the restaurant, pulled down the shutters and assaulted the two and fled from the restaurant, to a waiting Maruti car, after Aires took shelter in a toilet of the restaurant.
This is what the police have confirmed and more information will follow as the investigation is in the process of verifying the facts, he added.
“Besides this, we have attached the kukri (Nepali knife), used in the attack, and hope to arrest more persons in this connection, very soon and hope to take the investigation to a logical conclusion, said Mr George.
The superintendent of police, replying to a question, as to the motive behind the attack, said that it is still under investigation, and added that the credit for breakthrough in the case goes to, Dy SP, Mr Mahesh Gaonkar, SDPO Panaji, Mr Sammy Tavares, PI, Mapusa, Mr Chandrakant L Patil, PI Bicholim, Mr Braz Menezes, PI, Agacaim, Mr Gurudas Gawade, and LIB team from Panaji town.